A.G. Gancarski
A pair of reporters from Iowa and Ron DeSantis’ super PAC have different takes on the circumstances surrounding the reporters being blocked from a rally.
Kyle Kaminski and Ty Rushing were thwarted in their attempt to cover the rally in Harlan, blocked by law enforcement and escorted off the premises, despite having press badges indicating they were part of the media.
“They said it’s a private event. They don’t want you. It is what it is,” Deputy Bill McDaniel said. “I can’t (tell you why). I don’t work for them. It’s a private event. It is what it is.”
“It’s a new one for me,” Rushing said from the road in the Hawkeye State.
He’d covered a number of DeSantis events in person, and written about a few, including his first stump speech in the state, the “slavery scandal,” and the Governor’s position on a six-week abortion ban. He had “absolutely no explanation” why he was blocked from Harlan Friday, despite being from a “left-leaning outlet.”
Rushing’s post on the social media platform X of the event, videotaped by Kaminski (who said this was an “interesting day”), showed the period where “multiple Shelby County deputies were waiting for us. They approached us before we even finished crossing the grass to the American Legion parking lot.”
From there, a staff member said, “sorry guys, it’s a private event.”
“At the last event in Atlantic, we noticed that security kept following us around when we were trying to cover the photo ops and snapped our pics as we left. Naturally, we expected something when we went to Harlan, but not armed deputies barring members of the press from covering an event that was billed as open press, according to pool reporters,” Rushing tweeted.
“I’ve covered seven DeSantis events in person with zero issues. I’ve never asked him a question at these events, just recording speeches, taking notes, and grabbing photos and videos for various content.”
For its part, Never Back Down, which put on the event in question, claims the duo registered as audience members rather than media, failing to “follow appropriate protocols.”
“These individuals registered as attendees and not press and did not identify themselves as such. Press are encouraged and welcome to attend all open press Never Back Down events but must follow appropriate protocols to ensure equal access to all reporters and safety for the principals,” the PAC said Friday afternoon.
But the removal strikes Rushing, a journalistic veteran, as an example of the PAC violating norms in Iowa.
“In 10 years of covering news in Iowa, this is the first time I’ve ever been banned from covering an Iowa Caucus event,” He said.
After we've covered nine Ron DeSantis events in Iowa with no problems, DeSantis’ team had four Shelby County deputies waiting for our reporters at his Harlan event today. They blocked our Ty Rushing, a longtime, well-respected Iowa journalist, from the event with no explanation https://t.co/4CClODEcop
— Iowa Starting Line (@IAStartingLine) August 11, 2023
13 comments
Bwj
August 11, 2023 at 6:52 pm
Sounds like the beginning of the end for freedom of the press.
My Take
August 12, 2023 at 1:05 am
They will be told what to report.
M. Mouse
August 11, 2023 at 7:05 pm
Hey, the Little Florida Man has privacy issues, okay? Wonder why? Not I. Squeak!
Ocean Joe
August 11, 2023 at 8:31 pm
More Cow bell please!
My Take
August 11, 2023 at 9:54 pm
And cries of “Ron DeFascist”
My Take
August 11, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Was press allowed in the beerhall I wonder?
PeterH
August 11, 2023 at 10:34 pm
Please tell the reporters that this is Florida Freedumb…..and DeSantis desires to spread this FREEDUMB throughout Amirika.
Christian Groomers Each Of You
August 12, 2023 at 7:18 am
Christians hiding behind rental cops and grooming Iowans.
Michael K
August 12, 2023 at 8:58 am
Reporters are not stenographers. They ask questions. They do research. Ron does not like any reporter who is not a sycophant. It’s one of the reasons he’s failing on the national stage. Mr tough guy is a lightweight unscripted, with zero accountability and poor public speaking skills. He’s also terrible at debate.
Tjb
August 12, 2023 at 11:26 am
Ron DeSantis is afraid to be challenged by reporters that may ask questions that will expose how he is an empty suit.
Jeff Fossum
August 12, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Consider it this way. Those cops did you a favor.
Dont Say FLA
August 12, 2023 at 3:21 pm
Rhonda’s Latest Reset mandated him to be even tougher of a tough guy by arbitrarily excluding a couple reporters.
It was done just to get the headlines “Tough Guy Rhonda Excluded a Couple Reporters” thereby proving Rhonda is such a tough guy.
LOL @ Rhonda Trying to Identify as a Tough Guy
Sue
August 12, 2023 at 3:36 pm
Did this happen too be the event involving the 95K donation made too some big Evangelical Church? Maybe that had something too do with the selective choice of who gets inside? DeSantis does like his secrets, and he definitely feels he can write his own Laws allowing him too hide how he spends The People Of Florida’s Time as the governor of Florida, and how he spends The People Of Florida’s Money .
I find it funny that he vetted the reporter’s at this event, but at home he handed the operation of The Sunshine State affordable assistance program over too someone who’s past was far from questionable?
Comments are closed.